Investigation of the Relations between Religious Activities and Subjective Well-being of High School Students

This study aims to investigate the relation between participation in religious activities and the subjective wellbeing of high school students. The study group involves 196 participants, 99 female and 97 male; all of the participants were adolescents attending high school in Eskisehir, Turkey, their ages varying from 14 to 16. The measurement scales used in this study included: Satisfaction with Life, Positive-Negative Affect, and Adolescents’ Subjective Well-being Increasing Strategies. The Pearson correlation technique and content analysis method were employed. Though in low levels, quantitative findings show a significant relation between life satisfaction, positive affection, and participation in religious activities. However, no such significant relation could be found for negative affection and participation in religious activities. Qualitative findings show high school students have a better subjective well-being when involved in religious activities, ranging from praying alone to going to mosque on holy days, which helps them discharge religious duties, meets the need for building intimacy with someone, gives them sense of security, instills hope in them, fosters good manners in them, makes them feel rewarded, and helps them cope with stress.